Music

On Wednesday 20 May, the Kilbreda music community gathered for Music By Candlelight: Dark vs Light, a stunning banquet-style concert celebrating the depth, creativity and passion of our ensembles and VCE music students.

The evening opened with captivating reimagined performances by our Year 12 VCE Music students. Eloise presented David Bowie’s ‘Starman’ in an inventive bluegrass-inspired fiddle style on violin, while Elisabeth and Beatrice, alongside their rock band, delivered a fresh interpretation of George Michael’s ‘Father Figure’ in a distinctive electro style, blending vintage grooves with ethereal, dreamlike textures. Year 11 VCE Music students followed with a series of accompanied and ensemble works, each featuring themselves as soloists and demonstrating impressive musicianship, creativity and individuality.

The program then unfolded into performances from our Music Program ensembles, who have dedicated themselves to weekly rehearsals and intensive workshops during the recent Music Residency at the Kingston Arts Centre. Each group explored repertoire aligned with the Dark vs Light theme, moving from moody, dramatic and villainous textures to uplifting, bright and inspiring works. Featured ensembles included the String Ensemble, Concert Band, Theatre Orchestra, Rhythm Rousers, Impro Club, Guitar Ensemble, Vox Collective, Kilbreda Chorale, Wind Ensemble and the Year 7 Orchestra Program, who delighted the audience with their debut performance, highlighting the strength and growth of our developing music culture.

The evening concluded with a powerful massed choir and instrumental rendition of ‘The NeverEnding Story’, providing a memorable finale that brought the entire program together.

A sincere thank you to all supporting staff who contributed to the success of this event, including Ms Laura Coates, Dominic Schepis, Matthew Graham, Julie Kipps, Simon Wilksch, Tim Dillon, Ghulam Raza, our dedicated Canteen staff (led by Greg and Van), as well as our exceptional Music teaching team including Jessi Foxx, Nicholas Roney, Wanda Elton, Akiko Ono, Bec Harkin, Marc Law, Jariyan Patel, Eugenie Lyons, Amanda Hargreaves, Jason Rodi, Bernardo Soler and Sarah Bloomer.

Music at Kilbreda continues to thrive, offering students a wide range of rich and rewarding performance opportunities. Enrolments are open for new students to join the Private Tuition Program in Semester 2, which includes free, unlimited ensemble participation as well as access to workshops, events and concert performances throughout the year. As our program continues to grow, we are particularly seeking more students learning trumpet, clarinet, flute and percussion to strengthen our ensembles and expand performance opportunities.

For more information or to get involved, please contact performingarts@kilbreda.vic.edu.au .

Kara-Lee Rabbetts

Learning Leader: Performing Arts – Music